Dirty Dancing Sequel Delayed Over a Year

Lionsgate has delayed the Dirty Dancing sequel to the summer of 2025.

By Jenna Anderson

It'll be a little bit longer until we can have the time of our lives with the Dirty Dancing sequel. On Thursday, Lionsgate confirmed that it will be pushing back both the Dirty Dancing sequel and the Wonder prequel White Bird: A Wonder Story, amid the ongoing dual strikes from the WGA and SAG-AFTRA. According to the initial reporting of the news, the Dirty Dancing sequel will be moving from an already-planned date of February 9, 2024 to some point in the summer of 2025. White Bird, meanwhile, is now undated for Q4 of 2023, after already being delayed from September 16, 2022 to August 18, 2023. The latter's release date change does take it out of competition with other August releases, including Blue Beetle and Strays.

Dirty Dancing and White Bird are the latest movies to have their release dates delayed amid these strikes, with Walt Disney Pictures pushing back Marvel Studios blockbusters Thunderbolts, Captain America: Brave New World, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars, as well as its next three Avatar sequels.

What Is the Dirty Dancing Sequel About?

The Dirty Dancing sequel is set to follow Baby (Jennifer Grey) as she returns to Kellerman's resort. The role of Johnny Castle, portrayed by the late Patrick Swayze, will not be recast.

"The most important thing for us was having Jennifer on board. She is an invaluable collaborator. We're going to try to involve as many people from the original as is appropriate. We want to be respectful in every way," director Jonathan Leavine revealed when the sequel was first announced. "While the original Dirty Dancing has always been one of my favorite films, I never imagined I would direct the sequel. Through co-writing it, I fell in love with the characters (new and old), the world of 1990s Catskills New York, and the music, which will range from songs from the original movie to '90s hip-hop. I can't wait to collaborate with Jennifer to bring this beautiful story of summer and romance and dancing to a generation of new fans. And to the longtime ones, I promise we will not ruin your childhood. We will tackle the assignment with sophistication, ambition, and, above all, love."

Is There a Dirty Dancing Sequel?

This would technically be the fourth Dirty Dancing offshoot, after the short-lived 1988 television series, 2004 prequel Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights starring Diego Luna and Romola Garai, and the 2017 made-for-TV remake starring Abigail Breslin and Colt Prattes.

"Dirty Dancing is more than a movie – it's a cultural touchstone that continues to be a rite of passage. As we approach the next chapter, we knew we had to honor the depth, the relevance, and the heat of the original," said Lionsgate's President of Production Erin Westerman. "We've been lucky to have Jennifer as our guide and are thrilled to have Jonathan by her side at the helm, because everything he makes is textured and romantic – he always gives us goosebumps."

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What do you think of the Dirty Dancing sequel being delayed by over a year? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

h/t: Deadline

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